Many pet owners tend to think of their animals as members of the family. For longtime Hermosa Beach resident William Rodriguez, his Moluccan cockatoo is not only a part of the family but a well-known fixture in the community.

According to Hermosa Beach Police, Remo, the 3-foot-long bird with an expected lifespan of 70 years, was reportedly stolen Oct. 29 from outside his 21st Street home where the Rodriguez family has lived for the past 10 years.

Thanks to the diligent effort of local officers, Remo was returned to Rodriguez at 5 a.m. Tuesday morning.

“I’m so elated and it’s a miracle we found him,” said Rodriguez. “The police really went out of their way to find my bird.”

According to Det. Brian Smyth, the man in possession of Remo met Det. Timothy Turek in the city of Hawthorne at the corner of Artesia and Crenshaw boulevards. Police followed several leads, including an eyewitness account of a young boy who lived across the street from Rodriguez and watched a delivery man in an attempt to coax Remo out of a tree accessible from the sidewalk.

“The boy watched the man but left the scene and so we never really knew if the delivery man retrieved the bird or not,” said Smyth. “We are not sure if the person who had the bird stole it or believed it to be lost and captured it so he could return it to its owner.”

According to Rodriguez, when word spread about the missing bird, Mayor Sam Edgerton called Chief of Police Mike Lavin about the matter.

“From what I understand, the bird was extremely happy to see Mr. Rodriguez when Det. Turek returned him,” added Smyth. “I’m glad we found it and it turned out to be a happy ending. ”

Remo, recognized by kids and adults who live in the area, usually hangs out in a tree outside the four-bedroom house. He always greets Rodriguez when he returns home with a series of whistles and spoken words.

“I think the person who stole it sold it to someone because he came back to me in a cage and his feathers were dirty,” said Rodriguez. “He’s still a little quiet and I’m just happy he is back because he is so special to me.”

On the day the bird was stolen, Rodriguez came home without his usual warm welcome from Remo. Rodriguez realized the bird was gone and began putting up lost posters, offering a $500 reward for anyone who found the bird.

“I will never put him outside again,” said Rodriguez. “I’ve been going nonstop and I’m so burnt out. So many people have helped me with finding Remo.”

Rodriguez, 60, a native of Honduras, moved to Hermosa Beach in the early 1980s. He is married with two young sons who have taken the Indonesian bird to Hermosa View School with them to show their fellow classmates.

“It didn’t really hit me that Remo was gone until the next morning,” said Rodriguez. “I was in tears about it because this bird is my best friend and a part of the family. We are going to grow old together.”